address 1841 in Lancaster

[plimmerian]

just a quickie -

found "Under Gardens or Dam Side Court" address in 1841 census in Lancaster

can anyone illuminate this for me?

many thanks.

[Barbara.H]

Hi Ian,

Damside Street (all one word) is still here in Lancaster - could you give the census ref and I'll have a look for you?

  Barbara

[plimmerian]

hi

my ref was:
HO107/553/15 - pg 25
(Book 2, Dist. 1a)

hope I got that right

I was looking at Eli GORNALL age 22 warehouseman (No - to born in Lancashire)

best wishes,
Ian

[Barbara.H]

Well some of the streets next door in that census district are still there; enumerator went from Calkeld Lane (now an alley sloping down from Church St to Damside), then I suspect, turned left to do the wonderfully named Crooked Billet, then your Under Gardens. From there he went to Union Square and Fleet St, which I think make up today's Fleet Square, i.e. the bus station.

So I think that Under Gardens was in or around the bit of today's Damside Street that is opposite the bus station. Behind that strectch of Damside is a steep incline up to Church St, so the people living there would be 'under the gardens' at the back of the well-to-do Church St properties.

Thats my theory anyway!  I've got several Lancaster history books, but none with a detailed plan of that area before 1850.  If I go into town this weekend I'll take the camera, as we usually park where I think Eli used to live  sorry Eli

  Barbara

[plimmerian]

I'm sure he wouldn't mind especially if it was just his lodgings

sounds a dodgy area with crooked billet etc 

suppose the poor people had to live somewhere - underground - keep the streets clean lol

many thanks

 

[Barbara.H]

Here as promised are views of Damside St , looking across to where I think Damside Court and Crooked Billet might have been.
I went to check the old maps in the Library, but apparently Lancaster maps are in Morecambe at the moment...

Picture one is the car park on Damside St, with the elevation to Church St behind it. my theory is that Damside St was previously much narrower, with extra rows of houses where the car park is now.  Picture two shows a yard next to the car park, with an interesting old doorway. I think this yard might be all that's left of Crooked Billet, but without the map that's only an educated guess.

Damside St is now on Google Street View - try postcode LA1 1PD for the right bit of the street.

  Barbara

[plimmerian]

fantastic research Barbara!

would be great if the doorway was the last of the old place - I'm thinking "Narnia" and "Wonderland" at the moment - lol

thank you so much for all your effort.

I'll have a look at streetview - I'm on there in three different places (well you can see my car!)

very best wishes,

Ian.

[Barbara.H]

There is a short piece in the nostalgia section of this week's Lancaster Guardian about the Under Gardens - it says that houses in that area of Damside St were indeed built for coachmen, gardeners etc to service the big houses on Church St.

I've tried to find the article on the paper's website, but can't see anything -
http://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/

If you can't find it either and are interested, send me a PM with an email addy & I'll scan it for you

  Barbara

[plimmerian]

sorry I can't find it either - will message you

 

Ian.